National Scouting Report is dedicated to finding scholarship opportunities for athletes who possess the talent, desire, and motivation to compete at the collegiate level. We’ve helped connect thousands of athletes with their perfect college.
If you are ready to take your recruiting to the next level, click the Get Scouted button below to be evaluated by an NSR College Scout.
Get Scouted Scouting CareersSixteen Years Ago, Rule Change Finally Offering the Have-nots a Chance to Compete
The changes actually began to take shape thirty-two years ago in 1978. That’s when the NCAA decided that bullying in big-time football would no longer be allowed. Bullying might be a bit harsh, but it is true that smaller DI programs were being left in the dust of fast moving DI powers as they annually scooped up practically all the available prep talent.
Then, after a steady reduction in permitted scholarships over a three year time frame, the final reduction occurred 16 years ago in 1994 when all DI programs were assigned a fair number of scholarships to offer, 85.
In 1973, a school could offer an incredible 105 football scholarships. That was reduced in 1978 to 95, in 1992 to 92, in 1993 to 88, and in 1994 to the current 85. No longer allowed to recruit anybody and everybody, the traditional powers were finally put on the same recruiting platform as the also-rans. But, it’s taken that full 16 years for the impact of the scholarship reduction limits to finally bear fruit.
Looking at the most recent NCAA DI football polls offers proof. Yes, you still see some of the same familiar names of long time power schools like Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Nebraska affixed once again in the Top Ten, but programs which in the day would have been relegated to the second-tier are now regularly showing up alongside the big boys. Boise State, Utah, TCU and Nevada are in the current Top 25. Five, ten or fifteen years ago, such a thing was unheard of for the most part. Out? Texas, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Clemson and Colorado are a few schools experiencing an uncommon down year. They may not be in the basement very long, but the point is that they are there now and it’s shocking to see.
Was the NCAA wise to put the brakes on? Absolutely. Genuine parity has emerged. The NCAA scholarship limitation rules are working as intended. And, college football is better for it, and more interesting than ever.
National Scouting Report is dedicated to finding scholarship opportunities for athletes who possess the talent, desire, and motivation to compete at the collegiate level. We’ve helped connect thousands of athletes with their perfect college.